Archive Entry #001 Documented by: Archivist Quill Status: Well-documented (this one's personal)
Species: Mana Cat Crystal Affinity: Pure Mana - the baseline crystal energy that all other types branch from Region of Origin: The Mana Pools Rarity: Common (but don't let that fool you)
Mana Cats are the most frequently encountered familiars in the Crystal World, and there's a reason for that - they are drawn to places where magic gathers, which increasingly means places where people gather. They're small, round, and come in an extraordinary range of colors depending on the ambient mana around them.
Mana Cats are purely solitary creatures who prefer caves and crystal formations. Correction: Early observations were conducted in wild mana pools, where Mana Cats do tend to be solitary. Subsequent study of adopted Mana Cats shows they are intensely social once bonded. Some refuse to leave their person's side. Quill can neither confirm nor deny personal experience with this behavior.
Their eyes are their most distinctive feature - round, luminous, and faintly reflective in low light. Some scholars believe Mana Cat eyes actually store small amounts of crystal energy, which would explain the glow. This has not been proven. Update: It has been observed, but Quill still can't get a Mana Cat to sit still long enough for a proper reading. Again - no personal comment.
Curious. Warm. Deceptively clever. Mana Cats have a reputation for being the "starter familiar" - gentle enough for anyone - but experienced keepers know they're also the most adaptable. A Mana Cat bonded to a scholar becomes studious. One bonded to an adventurer becomes fearless. They mirror their person in ways that other species don't.
Some Mana Cats, when exposed to sustained high-mana environments, undergo a rare transformation into an Auralith - a winged, crystal-integrated form that is significantly more powerful. This process is not fully understood.
See: Auraliths (entry forthcoming - Quill is still gathering data)
Mana Cats are an excellent first familiar. They adapt to their keeper's energy, they're patient, and they're remarkably good at sitting on things you're trying to read. Available as a sticker sheet from the shop.